School support staff added to teacher pay raises

RICHMOND – Republican leaders in the House of Delegates want to add school support staff to the 2 percent teacher pay raise proposed by Gov. Bob McDonnell.

Local school divisions had already voiced concerns over their ability to afford the local share of the proposed teacher raises.

House Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, said Wednesday that many local school districts have policies that require them to give pay raises across the board to both instructional staff and support staff, including custodians, clerical workers and bus drivers. If all of the staff does not get a raise, no one does.

School divisions that have such policies worried they would have to opt out of giving teachers raises because they couldn't afford raises for support staff, he said.

"We think that will bring some school systems along," said Cox, who is leading the effort to pass the governor's education reform package. "We think the combination of that really shows we're serious about getting these localities to step up to the plate and give the pay raise."

The amount of money each school division will have to come up with to pay for the raises is based on how much the division gets from the state under the composite index formula.

"They are not state employees — that's the way it has always been done," Cox said. "So the localities basically have to pay their fair share."

In the budget amendments he presented to the General Assembly last month, McDonnell included $58 million for the 2 percent teacher pay raise. Cox said an additional $9 million to $15 million will be added to cover raises for support staff.

He said the range in funding hinges on when the raise for support staff goes into effect. If support staff get their raise in August or September the cost would be closer to $15 million. If the raises for support staff are put off until January 2014 the cost would be closer to $9 million.

House Minority Leader David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, said he thinks the additional raises will help get the legislation passed.

"Investment in education is the number one priority in the commonwealth," he said. "To the extent you can help local school divisions make that investment is a good thing."

Local school officials said the announcement is a step in the right direction.

"Any money that will help supplement staff of any kind would be greatly appreciated," said David Holleran, superintendent of Mathews County Public Schools.

Holleran said all employees have had to pick up slack over the last couple of years when previous budget cuts have resulted in reduced staff, so to single out individuals for an increase isn't fair.

The governor's proposal only funds positions under the state's Standards of Quality guidelines, which outlines minimum numbers of teachers and other instructional staff for each school. School officials said most divisions employ more than the minimum requirements.

"We have more teachers, more guidance counselors than the SOQ," Poquoson Superintendent Jennifer Parish said.

Scott Burckbuchler, chief financial officer at Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools, said he originally estimated it would cost the division $1.6 million to give all employees a 2 percent raise, and just $300,00 to $350,000 would come from the state. He said adding support staff might increase that funding by $150,000, but the division would have to come up with the balance.

But he said it will help.

"Any steps that would include more of our staff would be welcomed," he said.